From Langmaker
The lexicon of the Lapine language of Watership Down by Richard Adams.
The following documentation of the language is derived from Adams' own appendix to Watership Down, but is reconstructed as extensively as possible from the limited examples. All hypothetical reconstructions are preceded by an *asterisk.
Vocabulary from the sequel has been deliberately left out, as one of the points of this example is how much can be accomplished with how little. Lapine went a long way towards establishing the verisimilitude of the rabbits' culture, with just 56 words.
Crixa
Efrafa
El-ahrairah
*eli
elil
embleer
fa
flay
flayrah
Frith
Frithrah
fu
fu inlé
*hain
hlao
Hlao
Hlao-roo
hlessi
homba
hrair
Hrairoo
hraka
hrududu
*hy(z)
Hyzenthlay
Inlé
lendri
li
marli
m'saion
narn
*ni
ni-frith
*nildro
Nildro-hain
Owsla
Owslafa
Pfeffa
Rah
Roo
sayn
silf
silflay
tharn
Thethuthininang
thlay
thlayli
threar
Threarah
u
U Hrair
vair
yona
*zen(th)
zorn
Crixa proper noun — A crossroads, the center of Efrafa, located at the crossing point of two bridle paths.
Efrafa proper noun — A warren founded by General Woundwort.
El-ahrairah proper noun — The legendary rabbit folk hero.
*eli common noun — Enemy of rabbits.
elil common noun — Enemies of rabbits.
embleer adjective — Stinking, as in the smell of a predator, esp. a fox.
fa common noun — Watcher? Augmentative?
flay (plural *flay) common noun — Food, especially grass or other edible plants.
flayrah common noun — Lettuce, or other unusually good food.
Frith proper noun — The sun god of the rabbits.
Frithrah exclamation — An exclamation.
fu preposition — After (later than), afterwards.
fu inlé phrase — After moonrise.
*hain (plural *hainil) common noun — Meaning uncertain: either blackbird or song. Probably song.
hlao (plural *hlao-il) common noun — Any dimple or depression formed in the grass, such as that formed by a daisy plant or a thistle, which can hold moisture.
Hlao proper noun — The name of Pipkin in Lapine.
Hlao-roo proper noun — A nickname of Pipkin.
hlessi (plural hlessil) common noun — An outcast rabbit, living above ground, without a regular hole or warren.
homba (plural hombil) common noun — A fox.
hrair adjective — Any number over four, a great many, an uncountable number. Loosely translated as "a thousand".
Hrairoo proper noun — The name of Fiver in Lapine, so called for being the last in a litter of five or more rabbits.
hraka (plural *hrakil) common noun — Droppings, excretions.
hrududu (plural hrududil) common noun — A motor vehicle such as a car or tractor.
*hy(z) verb — To shine.
Hyzenthlay proper noun — The name of a doe who lived in Efrafa.
Inlé proper noun — Literally, the moon or moonrise. Figuratively, darkness, fear and death.
lendri (plural *lendril) common noun — A badger.
li (plural *lil) common noun — Head (body part).
marli (plural *marlil) common noun — Literally, a doe. Figuratively, a mother.
m'saion sentence — "We meet them."
narn adjective — Pleasant to eat.
*ni common noun — Time? High or highest?
ni-frith common noun — Noon.
*nildro (plural *nildril) common noun — Meaning uncertain: either blackbird or song. Probably blackbird.
Nildro-hain proper noun — The name of a doe who lived in Efrafa.
Owsla proper noun — The strongest rabbits in a warren. The elite rulers.
Owslafa proper noun — Council Police. A term only used in Efrafa.
Pfeffa (plural *pfeffil) common noun — A cat.
Rah augmentative — A prince, leader or chief. Usually suffixed, dropping the 'r' when following an 'r'.
Roo diminutive — A diminutive, usually affectionate. Suffixed.
sayn (plural *saynil) common noun — Groundsel.
silf adjective — Outside, not underground.
silflay verb — To go above ground to feed.
silflay (plural *silflay) common noun — Food available above ground (outside the warren).
tharn adjective — Literally hypnotized with fear (think of the "deer caught in the headlights" only with a rabbit), stupefied, distraught. Figuratively, foolish, forlorn or heartbroken.
Thethuthininang proper noun — The name of a doe who lived in Efrafa.
thlay (plural *thlay) common noun — Fur.
thlayli proper noun — A nickname.
threar (plural *threaril) common noun — A rowan tree or mountain ash.
Threarah proper name — Lord Threar.
u definite article — Similar to "the" in English.
U Hrair proper noun — The Thousand (Enemies)
vair verb — To excrete.
yona (plural yonil) common noun — A hedgehog.
*zen(th) common noun — Dew.
zorn adjective — Destroyed, murdered; suffered a catastrophe.
